i'm taking an american literature class. and it's amazing. in part cos i have a uber cool professor who came in today wearing a t-shirt that says "who the fuck is mick jagger." in part cos my uber cool professor is also uber smart!
we just did beloved, by toni morrison. i used to ponder upon literature, whether authors write with the intention of analysis. beloved changed my mind. powerful literature comes from powerful minds (duh!). it's not absurd to find patterns in novels. in the case of toni morrison and beloved, it was a sense of discontinuity. for slaves, their entire history and culture were interrupted by greedy white know-it-alls who brought them across the atlantic to be slaves. a powerful novel does more than create a feeling in you. it affects you mentally, psychologically and emotionally. it sets you thinking. it draws on your experiences so you can experience as the characters do. a powerful novelist develops her characters, and presents her story in a way that reinforces her central theme. the theme of discontinuity was presented as disjunct episodes of history. i can't quite convey the feelings of empowerment and enlightenment from today's class. the best way to describe it is "pretty damn awesome!" i fear i'll become a shallow reader and never think about the things i read. and i fear i may never pick up another book that is quite as impactful as beloved.
of course..i'll always love my fluffy trash every once in awhile!
